FEMA Announces Policy Updates to Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping Standards

FEMA Announces Policy Updates to Flood Risk Analysis
and Mapping Standards

As part of the semi-annual
maintenance process, FEMA announced the revision of 18 Risk Map standards.

In August 2013, a set of
standards for the Risk MAP (Mapping, Assessment and Planning) program was issued
as the FEMA policy Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping. The
purpose of the standards is to enable consistent performance of flood risk
projects, processing of letters of map change and related Risk MAP activities.

Risk MAP instituted a
semi-annual maintenance process for this policy to address ongoing needs for
updated standards and to provide regular updates of the procedures for mapping.

As a part of the regular
maintenance, standards changes have been implemented related to levee Zone AR
and A99 designations, implementing the changes from the Homeowner Flood
Insurance Affordability Act. There are also changes related to updating maps to
show a de-accredited levee through the Letter of Map Revision process,
depiction of Base Flood Elevations on flood maps, use of digital flood hazard
data and some terminology changes. FEMA conducted a public review of the draft
standards earlier this year. No comments were received.

As part of this maintenance
cycle, FEMA is also issuing new guidance documents for Risk MAP and updating
the related technical reference documents that define specific requirements for
flood risk project deliverables. These documents will be published over the
next few weeks.

Risk MAP provides high
quality flood maps for the National Flood Insurance Program, information and
tools to better assess the risk from flooding, plus planning and outreach
support to communities to help them take action to reduce (or mitigate) flood
risk.

Learn more at FEMA Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and
Mapping.